Sudden Loading During a Dynamic Lifting Task: A Simulation Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Bull Andersen ◽  
E. B. Simonsen

It is believed that nurses risk the development of back pain as a consequence of sudden loadings during tasks in which they are handling patients. Forward dynamics simulations of sudden loads (applied to the arms) during dynamic lifting tasks were performed on a two-dimensional whole-body model. Loads were in the range of −80kg to 80 kg, with the initial load being 20 kg. Loading the arm downwards with less than that which equals a mass of 20 kg did not change the compressive forces on the spine when compared to a normal lifting motion with a 20 kg mass in the hands. However, when larger loads (40 kg to 80 kg extra in the hands) were simulated, the compressive forces exceeded 13 000 N (above 3 400 N is generally considered a risk factor). Loading upwards led to a decrease in the compressive forces but to a larger backwards velocity at the end of the movement. In the present study, it was possible to simulate a fast lifting motion. The results showed that when loading the arms downwards with a force that equals 40 kg or more, the spine was severely compressed. When loading in the opposite direction (unloading), the spine was not compressed more than during a normal lifting motion. In practical terms, this indicates that if a nursing aide tries to catch a patient who is falling, large compressive forces are applied to the spine.

2021 ◽  
pp. 464-469
Author(s):  
Dominik Péus ◽  
Dominik Straumann ◽  
Alexander Huber ◽  
Christopher J. Bockisch ◽  
Vincent Wettstein

Downbeat nystagmus (DBN) observed in head-hanging positions, may be of central or peripheral origin. Central DBN in head-hanging positions is mostly due to a disorder of the vestibulo-cerebellum, whereas peripheral DBN is usually attributed to canalolithiasis of an anterior semicircular canal. Here, we describe an atypical case of a patient who, after head trauma, experienced severe and stereotypic vertigo attacks after being placed in various head-hanging positions. Vertigo lasted 10–15 s and was always associated with a robust DBN. The provocation of transient vertigo and DBN, which both showed no decrease upon repetition of maneuvers, depended on the yaw orientation relative to the trunk and the angle of backward pitch. On a motorized, multi-axis turntable, we identified the two-dimensional Helmholtz coordinates of head positions at which vertigo and DBN occurred (<i>y</i>-axis: horizontal, space-fixed; <i>z</i>-axis: vertical, and head-fixed; <i>x</i>-axis: torsional, head-fixed, and unchanged). This two-dimensional area of DBN-associated head positions did not change when whole-body rotations took different paths (e.g., by forwarding pitch) or were executed with different velocities. Moreover, the intensity of DBN was also independent of whole-body rotation paths and velocities. So far, therapeutic approaches with repeated liberation maneuvers and cranial vibrations were not successful. We speculate that vertigo and DBN in this patient are due to macular damage, possibly an unstable otolithic membrane that, in specific orientations relative to gravity, slips into a position causing paroxysmal stimulation or inhibition of macular hair cells.


1992 ◽  
Vol 296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Sinkovits ◽  
Lee Phillips ◽  
Elaine S. Oran ◽  
Jay P. Boris

AbstractThe interactions of shocks with defects in two-dimensional square and hexagonal lattices of particles interacting through Lennard-Jones potentials are studied using molecular dynamics. In perfect lattices at zero temperature, shocks directed along one of the principal axes propagate through the crystal causing no permanent disruption. Vacancies, interstitials, and to a lesser degree, massive defects are all effective at converting directed shock motion into thermalized two-dimensional motion. Measures of lattice disruption quantitatively describe the effects of the different defects. The square lattice is unstable at nonzero temperatures, as shown by its tendency upon impact to reorganize into the lower-energy hexagonal state. This transition also occurs in the disordered region associated with the shock-defect interaction. The hexagonal lattice can be made arbitrarily stable even for shock-vacancy interactions through appropriate choice of potential parameters. In reactive crystals, these defect sites may be responsible for the onset of detonation. All calculations are performed using a program optimized for the massively parallel Connection Machine.


Author(s):  
Brian D. Lowe

Psychophysical approaches to quantifying perceived effort have been used to evaluate the physical demand of many industrial work activities. An experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between ratings of whole-body perceived exertion and differentiated, regional ratings of exertion. The Borg, CR-10 scale was used by 16 subjects performing a simulated repetitive lifting task. Ratings of perceived exertion were obtained for the arms, legs, torso, and central (cardiorespiratory) effort sensations as well as a rating of overall, whole-body exertion. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict the whole-body rating of exertion from the differentiated ratings in lifting tasks using both a squat and stoop posture. In the stoop posture condition the coefficient of determination between whole-body perceived exertion and the model including arm, torso, and central ratings was R2=0.81. In the squat posture condition, the final regression model predicting whole-body exertion contained only the rating from the legs (R2 = 0.62). Differentiated ratings explained the majority of the variance in whole-body perceived exertion for squat and stoop lifting tasks.


Author(s):  
Hyun-Jung Kwon ◽  
Hyun-Joon Chung ◽  
Yujiang Xiang

The objective of this study was to develop a discomfort function for including a high DOF upper body model during walking. A multi-objective optimization (MOO) method was formulated by minimizing dynamic effort and the discomfort function simultaneously. The discomfort function is defined as the sum of the squares of deviation of joint angles from their neutral angle positions. The dynamic effort is the sum of the joint torque squared. To investigate the efficacy of the proposed MOO method, backward walking simulation was conducted. By minimizing both dynamic effort and the discomfort function, a 3D whole body model with a high DOF upper body for walking was demonstrated successfully.


2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Song ◽  
R. J. Dikken ◽  
L. Nicola ◽  
E. Van der Giessen

Part of the friction between two rough surfaces is due to the interlocking between asperities on opposite surfaces. In order for the surfaces to slide relative to each other, these interlocking asperities have to deform plastically. Here, we study the unit process of plastic ploughing of a single micrometer-scale asperity by means of two-dimensional dislocation dynamics simulations. Plastic deformation is described through the generation, motion, and annihilation of edge dislocations inside the asperity as well as in the subsurface. We find that the force required to plough an asperity at different ploughing depths follows a Gaussian distribution. For self-similar asperities, the friction stress is found to increase with the inverse of size. Comparison of the friction stress is made with other two contact models to show that interlocking asperities that are larger than ∼2 μm are easier to shear off plastically than asperities with a flat contact.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Tien ◽  
R. L. Huston

An efficient method for gross-motion simulation of head/neck dynamics in accidents and high acceleration environments is presented. The method uses finite-segment modelling to develop a 3-body model of the head/neck system. The model is shown to compare favorably with an analogous 9-body model and with experimental data. The model is expected to be useful for: (1) efficient analysis of gross-motion head/neck dynamics during accidents; (2) for developing increased intuitive understanding of head/neck behavior; and (3) for use with gross-motion, whole-body, crash-victim simulators.


Author(s):  
Bharti bharti ◽  
Debabrata Deb

We use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the ordering phenomena in two-dimensional (2D) liquid crystals over the one-dimensional periodic substrate (1DPS). We have used Gay-Berne (GB) potential to model the...


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